Subwoofer - thoughts on Rythmic F12

@gladmo makes a great point about the lower moving mass of the paper cone version of the F12, and the resulting reproduction of low frequency fine detail.

I have a pair of the Rythmik Audio/GR Research OB/Dipole Subs, each of which employs a pair of the paper cone woofer that has been optimized for open baffle use. Imagine the "speed" (settling time) of the F12 servo-feedback woofer, with no enclosure! It's the only woofer/sub I've ever heard that blends well with dipole planar loudspeakers (including a pair of KEF B139 woofers in transmissionline enclosures I own). If you've heard the Magnepan bass panels of the big Tympani and MG30.7 models you have an idea of the sound of the OB/Dipole Sub, but with reproduction of even the bottom octave (20-40Hz). But an OB/Dipole sub is not for everyone, or every application. For those there is the Rythmik Audio F12. I have no doubt a lot of REL and JL Audio owners would be very surprised if they ever heard a Rythmik sub.

I can attest that the F12 is pretty hard to beat, particularly if your emphasis is on music---it's tight, controlled, and has unlimited adjustability. Also, here's a tip---the instructions point out that the volume control does not dictate how loud the bass plays, but it IS an adjustment for how much bass you FEEL. Initially, I thought the bass from the F12 was on the lean side, but once I started experimenting with the volume control, I got all the bass I needed, and more.

In a word, Yes. I have Rythmik, SVS and REL subs in my system and I am currently considering upgrading to all Rythmik subs. The Rythmik is a little tighter than the SVS and much tighter than the REL, which is due to the servo in the Rythmik instantly stopping the driver which greatly reduces if not eliminates overhang or blurring of the musics structure. The servo also helps the sub cycle lower with less rolloff.

Beware that the servo puts a lot of stress on the amp and the driver so you will need to make sure that the heat created by the amp has a place to go and that cone stiffness is of primary importance.

The Rythmik may help a little bit with the booming issue you are having, but that is primarily a room issue, best addressed with acoustic treatments, e.q., multiple subs or all of the above.

The mushiness is probably a frequency overlap issue between the sub and your mains and you should be able to correct that by lowering the the lowpass filter setting on your sub or by adding a high pass filter to your mains

@bdp24,

Any idea who’s currently providing the drivers for Rythmik after the unfortunate fallout / set of circumstances surrounding TC Sounds of San Diego? The F12 incorporates some similarities of the stellar TV-12 Ultra (TC) had been producing at that time, some 20 years ago.

@dabel: I hadn’t heard about recent problems at TC Sounds, though I seem to remember hearing something awhile back about their amazing LMS Ultra 15" (or was it an 18"?) woofer being no longer available. That woofer was for years considered state-of-the-art for DIY home theater sub builders. I’m sure a call or email to Brian Ding at Rythmik would bring an answer. Warning: Mr. Ding is rather hard to understand, his accent pretty pronounced (no pun intended ;-) .